Accommodation and Housing

Multi-coloured properties in downtown St. John'sSt. John's offers a wide variety of housing options - from the brightly coloured row houses of the downtown, to condominiums and executive style homes. 

If you require temporary accommodations upon arrival, please refer to the accommodations section of the website for information on hotels, bed and breakfasts and other accommodations.

Buying a Home
St. John's has an active real estate market. Listings of available homes can be found on several websites including the Canadian Real Estate Association MLS listings, Zolo, and at Newfoundland Home Search
 

MLS housing prices in St. John's are stabilizing around $300,000. According to the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Realtors, the average price of a home in the St. John's metro area was approximately $268,200 in 2020. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has numerous resources for home buyers and owners including multilingual housing information for newcomers.

Most home buyers require financing (a mortgage) to purchase a home. All of the major banks and credit unions offer mortgages and there are a variety of rates and options available. You can shop around for a mortgage by contacting each bank or financial institution yourself or you may wish to use the services of an accredited mortgage broker. A mortgage broker acts as an intermediary between you and the banks or financial institutions.

When you are ready to purchase your home, you will need the services of a lawyer or notary. Your lawyer or notary will ensure that money is transferred to the seller, along with any additional money the seller has prepaid on the home, such as property taxes. Usually, you pay the lawyer or notary at this time. Make sure to include in your initial home purchase budget all costs associated with closing the sale. These costs, which include lawyer or notary fees and land transfer taxes, may be from 1.5 to 4 per cent of the home's selling price. 

Homeowners should purchase home insurance with a registered insurance company to provide protection from such things as theft, fire, flooding etc. 

All homeowners in the City of St. John's are obligated to pay property taxes. For further information, refer to the Assessment and Taxation section of the website.

Renting an Apartment or Home
The apartment vacancy rate in St. John's is around 7.0 per cent and finding suitable rental accommodations has improved as new apartment buildings have opened recently.

Rental accommodation is advertised in the local newspaper The Telegram -  the Saturday edition has the largest number of listings. You may also find listings online; a few websites to search include Kijiji St. John's, Rentals.ca and Zoeken.ca. Ask questions of the landlord and take the time to view the property before you make a commitment.

The price of a rental property in St. John's is largely dependent upon the size of the residence and the amenities that are included. According to the CMHC, the average monthly rent for a two bedroom apartment in St. John's metro was $918 in 2020. Many rental properties require a one year lease and do not include utilities (heat and light) in the monthly rent the tenant pays. For a full list of government guidelines and regulations with regards to renting a property in Newfoundland and Labrador, see the residential tenancies section of the Service NL website. In addition, CMHC has prepared a Guide to Renting a Home.

The City of St. John's has a non-profit housing division that rents units to low and moderate income earners. The Newfoundland & Labrador Housing Corporation (NLHC) also provides rental housing for low income earners.

It is a good idea for renters to purchase tenant insurance with a registered insurance company. This form of insurance can protect each tenant of a rental property from such things as theft, fire and natural disasters.